Thoughts from Carlyle In Miniature

6j Adelaide A. Procter. London: Collin’s, ca 1910s

Notes

Thoughts from Carlyle is a compact collection of selected quotations and short passages drawn from the writings of the Scottish philosopher, historian, and essayist Thomas Carlyle, most commonly published in the late nineteenth century. Rather than a single work authored as a book, it functions as an anthology meant to distill Carlyle’s ideas on duty, heroism, labor, morality, and the spiritual responsibilities of individuals and societies. These collections were popular in the Victorian era, when Carlyle’s moral seriousness and commanding prose made him a major intellectual influence, and they were often issued in small or gift-style editions designed for reflection and inspiration.

Miniature books grew especially popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when improvements in printing, paper quality, and typesetting made it possible to produce readable texts at very small sizes. Their appeal blended novelty, craftsmanship, and collectability: readers enjoyed the surprise of fully functional books small enough to fit in a pocket, while collectors prized the fine bindings, gilt lettering, and clever design challenges they represented. Miniature volumes were often given as gifts or souvenirs and frequently featured well-known classics, poetry, or religious texts, since familiar works lent themselves well to abbreviated or compact formats. 

Description

Vest pocket size. Brown leather binding. Gilt edges and gilt lettering on spine. Floral endpapers. Fine condition.